Second I-15 crash in two days proves fatal

Karen Zekan

Friday, Feb. 27, 1998 | 10:19 a.m.

A desolate stretch of Interstate 15 has claimed the life of a Las Vegas man, the second person in less than two days killed in almost the same area.

Sadrudin Surani, 62, of Las Vegas died at the scene of Thursday's 8:30 a.m. rollover, 70 miles north of Las Vegas, said Trooper Steve Harney, Nevada Highway Patrol spokesman.

Surani's brother, Alimohammed Surani, 61, of Alberta, Canada, was behind the wheel and may have started to fall asleep when their 1995 Oldsmobile left the northbound lanes and drifted into the desert, Harney said.

The driver over-corrected and lost control as the car went into a broadside skid and flipped over, Harney said.

The driver was the only one reported to have been wearing a seat belt and suffered only cuts and bruises.

Nawiz Surani, 39, of Las Vegas, was transported by Flight for Life to University Medical Center where he was listed in critical condition.

Shamshudin Surani, 63, and Mulhammad Patail, 43, both of Edmonton, Alberta, Canada, were taken by ambulance to UMC where they were listed in serious condition but expected to survive their injuries.

The group had apparently been on a family trip when the tragedy occurred.

Six miles north of Thursday's crash scene was where Masoud Abbasi, 40, of St. George, Utah, was killed after losing control and rolling his 1995 Ford during a torrential downpour at 12:51 p.m.

Misty Conley, 27, one of Abbasi's passengers, remained at UMC Thursday in stable condition.

Two other passengers, including Abbasi's 5-year-old daughter, suffered only minor injuries.